The Best Times To Travel And Shop For The Holidays, According To Google Data

As the holiday season approaches, staying organized can be a daunting task with all that needs to be done - from travel plans to gift shopping and cooking for holiday parties. But don't worry, Google Maps has you covered.

The tech giant has collected data and trends to give you the best recommendations on when to shop and travel to avoid crowds.

According to Google, if you're looking to avoid traffic on Thanksgiving day, you should plan your trip and leave at the right time.

Last year, the company looked at Thanksgiving traffic patterns across more than 20 major U.S. cities and found that the best time to leave for your destination is early in the morning or later at night.

So, if you want to outsmart the traffic and reach your destination on time, plan accordingly. For example, if you're looking to do some grocery shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, Google recommends that you visit the store at 9:00 a.m. every Tuesday.

This is typically the busiest time for grocery stores in the U.S., so if you can't make it on Tuesday, try to avoid going at 1:00 p.m. Sunday. This is when most people do their grocery shopping for the week.

Planning on bringing a store-bought dessert to the party instead of something homemade? To avoid crowds at the bakery, Google recommends going by 3:00 p.m. Mondays or avoiding 10:00 a.m. Saturdays.

Once the food is taken care of, it's time to start your Thanksgiving journey. If you're traveling, the best time to leave is Monday at 8:00 p.m. Traffic is typically heaviest around 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so it's best to avoid driving at those times.

If you're looking to avoid the busiest time on the roads this Thanksgiving, Google suggests traveling before noon or after 5:00 p.m. The heaviest traffic time will be between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

If you're looking to score some great deals on Black Friday without dealing with the crowds, here's what you should do: traffic in the United States typically picks up at noon and peaks around 4:00 pm. So, try and avoid these hours if possible.

However, if you're determined to do your shopping in-store on Black Friday, Google recommends hitting the stores at 7:00 a.m., 10 a.m., and between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Airports in the U.S. are typically at their busiest on Saturdays at noon, so build in extra time if you're traveling around then. However, if you want to avoid the crowds, airports are at their least busy on Wednesdays around 8:00 p.m.

You can avoid long lines and get your gifts wrapped up quickly by visiting the post office on Friday around noon. And, if you want to avoid the Tuesday 3:00 p.m. rush, make sure to schedule your visit for another day.

Malls and shopping centers will be your best bet for quickly finding what you need without all the holiday fuss. Visit around Monday at 3:00 p.m. for the fastest and most efficient experience or risk being "yule" sorry by visiting on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.